Dryer Vent Cleaning in Joliet, IL
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Step 1 of 3: Equipment
Cold vents catch more lint than warm ones
Your dryer pushes out warm, damp air, and that vent runs through a house that needs heat eight months of the year, October through May. On nights that average 20°F, the metal in that vent runs cold. Warm air hits the cold walls and the moisture in it doesn't just pass through, it clings, and lint sticks to the wet spots instead of blowing outside.
Over a winter that buildup narrows the vent a little at a time. Air that should exit the house backs up instead, and a dryer working against a blocked vent runs hotter and longer than it should.
- 20°F
- the average winter night, and cold vents catch damp lint
- 8 months
- October through May, the vent stays cold
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NOAA nClimDiv, 1991–2020 normals
- How often should a dryer vent be cleaned?
- Once a year for most households. If you run large loads often or have a long vent run to the outside, check it sooner, since lint builds up faster and blocks airflow before you notice.
- Can I clean my dryer vent myself?
- You can clean the lint trap and the first few feet of duct yourself. The rest of the run, especially where it bends or passes through a wall, needs a brush and rod long enough to reach the outside hood, and most homeowners do not have that on hand. A contractor can clear the full length and check that the hood flap opens and closes the way it should.
- What are the signs of a clogged dryer vent?
- Clothes that take more than one cycle to dry is the biggest one. Others are a burning smell, a dryer that runs hotter than usual to the touch, or weak airflow at the outside vent hood when the dryer is running. Lint building up around the lint trap slot faster than normal is another sign worth paying attention to.